Improvement in nose-bags for horses



nnen D. Mecovnan, or

PATENTl OFFICE.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN NOSE-BAGS FOR HORSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,05@ dated J une 17, 1873; application filed y January 16, 1873. i

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH D. MCGOVERN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nose-Bags for Horses, of which the following is a specification:

rlhis invention has for its object to furnish a nose-bag for feeding horses, which shall be susceptible of automatically feeding the food for consumption without any exertion on the part of the horse. The invention consists in inserting into the upper or rigid portion. of the bag two or more plates of wiregauze or perforated metal,`for effecting thor# ough ventilation of the interior ofthe bag by the admission of air through said plates.

In the drawings,- Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a nose-bag collapsed, and in position for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the iiexible bottom in a distended state.

The bag A is generally made of canvas, India rubber, leather, or other suitable material, and is preferably provided with a strap or band, B, passing over the horses head, and detachably secured to the rim of the bag by, buckles, loops, or other fastening devices. Suitable openings are made in the attachingstrap for the passage of the horses ears. The lower portion O of the bag is provided with a bottom, l), made either of wood or metal, or it may be of the same material as the body A. To the inner or outer sides of the lower portion O is applied a coiled spring, D, the various coils of which are attached to the bag by loops, or it may be attached only at its ends,

' and the coils inclosed or surrounded by a lining of India rubber applied to the fabric of theV bag. The tendency of the spring when the bag is not filled is to collapse or contract the lower flexible portion of the bag; but, when sufliciently lled with feed, the weight ofthe same will overcome the pressure of the spring, and cause the liexible portion of the bag to expand, as shown in Fig. 1.

As the food is being consumed by the horse the same will be automatically forced upward by the action of the spring upon the bottom, and thus no exertion or movement of the` horses head is necessary to enable the animal to reach the food. For the purpose of discharging the exhalations of the horse, and for admitting a constant supply of fresh air to properly ventilate the interior of the'bag when in use, I apply to the upper portion of the same two or more plates, E, of wire-gauze, perforated metal, or other foraminous material, said plates being arranged in proper relation to the nostrils of the horse for effectually accomplishing the desired result.

I do not claim -a nose-bag for animals wherein the same is suspended directly by elastic straps, or by bails or straps passing down through springs arranged in tubes upon the outside of the bag, for such are old and well known, and form no part of my invention neitherdo I claim, broadly, attaching a ventilator composed of a foraminous material upon the front of a nose-bag, for such of itself is not new. In my invention the spring impels the bottom upwardly, crimping and folding the lower portion ofthe bag, which contains the bulk ofthe food, while the upper portion of the bag remains in the same position to the animals eyes, head, and neck, as it was when first adjusted and, further, by the presence of a spring-impelled bottom, I am enabled to make the bag of any desired length suitable for any sized animal irrespective of a particular measure, and practically secure the result hereinbefore specified. The foraminous material for Ventilating, in my invention is attached to side plates, which, by their strength and rigidity, retain the mouth of the bag open, and its sides in a vertical plane, and they enable me to make a iirm, rigid, and durable rivetconnection between the suspending-straps and the bag.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A nose-bag for horses having a spring, D, arranged within it, substantially as shown, for operating upon the bottom by crimping the lower end of the bag, as herein set forth, for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of January, 1873.

H. D. MGGOVERN.

Witnesses: p

ALBERT H. NoRRIs,P. B., JAMES J. DE BARRY. 

